Angel With A Broken Wing
by boshrocks
Summary: Merlin's best friend shows up wounded in Camelot. Arthur can't help liking her. Can Merlin restrain his jealousy and keep both his secret and hers at the same time. no slash- jealousy is directed at Arthur over Joanna. review please.
1. Chapter 1

"I'm looking for Merlin, do you know where I can find him?"

Merlin heard the tearful voice and recognised it. It was a voice from his past, from his hometown. He glanced up and saw her, talking to Gwen who was returning from picking flowers for Morgana.

Gwen pointed Merlin out to her and she looked at him and smiled with relief. She looked very bad, her fair skin was bruised and burnt, her rosy cheeks had no colour in them now. She limped towards him painfully and he rushed forwards and hugged her tightly. Merlin then noticed there was a crossbow bolt sticking out of her shoulder blade and another out of her leg.

"Joanna, why…what happened?" he asked letting her go but still letting her lean on him. Arthur, beside him, watched them carefully.

"They found out." she wept.

"Oh no."

"I had to come here, I'm sorry. I have nowhere else."

"It's fine, I'll look after you. I promise." She smiled at him and then passed out. Arthur and Merlin caught her. "Let's get her to my room." Arthur nodded and they carried her to the castle.

She came round as they laid her on her front on Merlin's bed. "Can't you ever learn to tidy up?"

"No." Merlin said. She laughed weakly and then winced in pain. "Oh." Merlin hurried out of the room and returned a moment later with bandages.

"Arthur take her hands. Joanna, I'm going to take the arrows out, it'll hurt." Merlin grasped the bolt in her leg as Arthur took her hands and she stared into his eyes. In a smooth movement Merlin yanked the bolt out and she cried in pain, squeezing Arthur's hands tightly. The bolt in her shoulder caused her more pain, she screamed loudly and then passed out again as Merlin dabbed a healing tonic on the wounds and bandaged her shoulder and leg. "Arthur, can you go find Gaius for me? She needs help."

Arthur nodded and left. Pretty soon Joanna woke up again. She turned her head to look at Merlin sitting on the bed beside her, running a hand over her shoulder blades.

"It went through it didn't it?" he asked gently.

"I tried to fly away, but they shot me out of the sky. Luckily I fell into a ditch and they didn't find me."

"I'll need to bandage the wing." He removed the bandage from her shoulder.

She nodded and closed her eyes. Strong feathered white wings grew from her shoulder blades rapidly and Merlin had to duck out of the way. On the right hand one red blood stained the feathers. Merlin examined the small wound and applied some of the healing tonic.

"Bandaging won't do it. You need a bit of magic."

"Can you heal it? Wings that can't fly aren't much use."

"Yes, but it'll have to wait. Tonight. Hide them, I think Arthur's coming back."

"Why can't he see them?"

"Magic is forbidden here. You want a repeat of what happened back home?"

"Guess not." She smiled and retracted her wings. Merlin rebandaged her shoulder. She watched him. "You know, I really missed you."

"I know. I missed you."

"This may sound selfish but as soon as you left I noticed the tone of the village hardening towards me. You were the only thing that stopped them disliking me. They thought the odd happenings would stop when you left but they didn't."

Merlin smiled and started washing the dirt and scorch marks from her face and arms. He brushed a lock of her long ginger hair out of her blue eyes, so like his own. As his fingers brushed against her forehead he noticed that it was on fire. Fever had set in, and she was sweating slightly. He rinsed off the cloth and laid it on the part of forehead he could see.

Arthur and Gaius came in and saw them like that. Merlin started up guiltily. "Gaius she needs something to bring down her fever and she's in a lot of pain."

Arthur suppressed a snigger at Merlin's reaction and then noticed the concern in his friend's face as he watched Gaius examining the wounds.

"Boys, please." Gaius said. They nodded, understanding, and left the room.

Merlin paced Gaius's room while Arthur sat and watched him. "Who is she, Merlin?"

"She was my first friend. She was my only friend before I came to Camelot, apart from mother of course."

"She means a lot doesn't she?"

"If I were to ever lose her I'd probably kill myself. She's special. She's different."

"You and your spaniel heart."

"I'm a lover, you're a fighter. Figures we'd clash."

Arthur laughed. "Once she's better, she can help you serving me or Morgana. What can she do?"

"She can cook, and sews her own clothes. She's used to hard labour, she's definitely not a damsel in distress. She can read and write very well, and sings like an angel. She's hard working, determined and very brave. Too brave."

"Bit like you then."

"Grew up together, best friends, it's not surprising."


	2. Chapter 2

Joanna recovered quickly and went to work with Merlin. Arthur couldn't help watching them as they worked together seamlessly. She always sang and always seemed to be laughing.

She was very pretty, he mused as she served him food one evening. Tall and shapely with beautiful ginger hair and unusual blue eyes. She wore simple rough woollen dresses with white aprons and always wore a silver necklace bearing a silver feather pendant. She always tied her hair back loosely with ribbons.

She worked in perfect harmony with Merlin and quite often Arthur noticed them dancing together as they made his bed or set the table or laid out his armour.

"Why do you do that? Why do you dance while you work?"

"Why walk when you can dance?" she said laughing. "Dancing and singing while you work, brightens it up, and doesn't make it seem like a job. Besides it makes you smile." She smiled shyly.

Merlin noticed the affectionate look they shared and interrupted them quickly, sending Joanna out of the room to fetch more water. Arthur looked at his friend curiously but for once employed tact.

Gwen laughed as she saw Joanna dancing across the courtyard the next morning. She liked the girl, there was just something about her, she was fun, and the girl version of Merlin. As she watched her dance Joanna suddenly hunched over in pain, one hand reached for her shoulder blades and the other clutched her head, and then she fell to her knees. Breathing heavily Joanna glanced around and then struggled to her feet and dashed into the entrance to the dungeons.

Gwen hesitated before following. Merlin, who was crossing the courtyard with Arthur rushed forwards and barred the door.

"Don't." he said firmly.

"I'm just concerned. She looked like she was in a lot of pain."

"I'll handle it." with that he rushed after Joanna.

"Gwen, go back to your work." Arthur said before following his manservant.

As quietly as he could he crept down the steps, he saw Joanna crouched down clutching her head and Merlin rubbing her shoulders soothingly at the bottom of the stairs.

"It's alright. Don't worry, I'm here."

"It's a new pain. A ringing in my head, its trying to force them out."

"I know what that is. Come with me, Jo." Merlin raised her to her feet slung an arm over her shoulders and led her to the dragon's cave.

Arthur hesitated before following them onwards. He'd never come here before so he trod carefully as he followed his servants into the bowels of the castle.

Merlin led her into the dragons cave and called him. The great beast swooped down and Joanna barely blinked at seeing him.

"What have we here?" the dragon said, clearly amused.

"This is Joanna, and it's alright, she's-" Merlin broke off as Joanna couldn't hold on any longer and her wings sprouted from her shoulders, one of them still wounded, knocking Merlin over since he wasn't expecting it, "one of us."

"An Elf?"

"Partly." She said, the pain seeming to have vanished. "Father was one."

"I see. I sensed a new magical being in Camelot and I've been waiting for Merlin to come to me demanding what should be done about them."

Joanna looked at Merlin and giggled. "Sounds like him. Have you been calling me?"

"Blindly." The dragon smiled. "I sensed your unusual magical power and desired to meet you. I can feel your gift now that you're close, and though I've met many an elf I don't think I've met one as strong as you. Just think of what you could do. Your destiny is unclear but what is certain is that you will have an impact."

"I don't doubt that." Merlin muttered.

Joanna turned her head and glared at him. He grinned cheekily back in a 'Please don't kill me' kind of way. She smirked and summoned a ball of pearly magic in her hand.

"Oh no." Merlin went to run past her but she spread her wings and blocked the path. The right one was still stained red and was bandaged. "Don't make me throw you over the edge. Because you know I will."

The dragon chuckled as she continued to smirk. Merlin grabbed her arms and pushed her over the edge of the ledge. Arthur hurried forwards and Merlin bumped into him as he ran out of the cave, knocking them both over.

"She's wounded, you prat. She can't fly." Arthur scrambled to the edge and looked over. There was no sign of Joanna.

A golden and white arrow suddenly whizzed over their heads and attached itself to the rock. There was a golden rope attached to it.

"Are you going to give me a hand or not?" Joanna snapped as she reached for the ledge. Arthur quickly pulled her up to the ledge. She sat on the ground by them. "How long were you spying, sire?"

"Long enough. And don't worry, your secret's safe."

"So you don't mind?" Joanna asked as she made her white and gold bow vanish into thin air.

"So long as you're discreet. And keep these hidden." Arthur reached over tentatively and stroked the feathers of one of her wings.

"You know, not all elves have wings like this. They're usually scaly, like his." Joanna gestured towards the dragon who had settled down to watch them interestedly. "We're not like fairies or pixies, we're just magical humans. But I'm not a full elf, I'm a half-breed. If you want to meet a real elf then meet my father with me on my birthday."

"When is that?"

"Two weeks. He always comes and brings elven made gifts." She got up and held out a hand to help Arthur up which he took and then wouldn't let it go.

Merlin scrambled to his feet too and turned away grumpily, venting his jealousy by pulling the arrow out of the wall.


	3. Chapter 3

Joanna tumbled through the air and twirled a few times gracefully. Arthur and Merlin laughed as they watched her from the castle's tallest tower. It had been a week since her arrival and her wings were now both matching white and fully healed. Arthur also noticed that her skin seemed to shine a little whenever she was happy, which was a lot when he was around.

Now she shone almost as brightly as the sun as she darted around, enjoying the beautiful day.

"You know, amongst her people she's called the Evening Star. Shines even in the daylight." Merlin said smiling as she swooped low and blew them a kiss. "It's weird; just like her wings are feathered instead of scaly, she's the only elf who shines. There's a lot of things she does that elves aren't meant to. She really is one of a kind."

"I'll say."

"Her people may call her the Evening Star, but growing up I called her Glow Worm."

Arthur laughed in spite of himself. "That's mean."

"She called me Clumsy Boy." Merlin laughed. Arthur laughed harder.

Merlin broke off suddenly staring at Joanna. She had stopped larking about and was facing a male elf with scaly blue wings, blue hair and bluish skin. They were conversing intently. She was no longer shining.

"What do you thinks happening?" Arthur said watching them too.

"No idea, but Jo's not looking pleased."

As they watched Joanna clapped her hands over her ears but she wasn't blocking out sound; she was feeling the tops of them. They seemed to now be pointy. The blue elf then took one of her hands and put something in it. He then took the other and put something in it. Joanna stared at first one hand then the other in shock.

She looked up at the other elf and shook her head. She held out her hands to him; offering to give back what he had given her. This time he shook his head and vanished into a golden portal.

Joanna drew her hands back and slowly closed her fists. She floated down so she was level with Arthur and Merlin. She looked at them and Merlin could read several different emotions in her eyes: anger, fear, courage, wisdom, and a felling that she had seen her future and must weigh up her options.

"What's wrong?" Merlin asked.

"It's nothing." She said with difficulty.

"That's not a nothing look, Jo, that's a something look."

"Merlin please, don't ask me to tell you yet."

"Fine. Tell me when you're ready."

She noted his coldness and Merlin felt very guilty as he noticed that pain now joined the emotions in her eyes. She flew off and they saw her land on another tower, retract her wings and go inside.

Gwen paused as she crossed the courtyard. Turning slowly she saw Joanna sitting on the stone steps with an unusually serious look on her face as she studied two rings. One was silver and studded with large diamonds and the other was gold and held a big pulsating red gem.

"What's the matter?" Gwen asked approaching.

"Gwen, what would you do if you were told you had to get married against your wishes?"

"I don't know. I'd probably fight against it for as long as I could."

"What if it was your fathers dying wish and part of the laws, customs, and traditions of your people?"

"Joanna, what's going on? You're not getting married are you?" Gwen noticed Arthur and Merlin coming out of the doors at the top of the stairs and that they had stopped dead in their tracks at her words.

"Gwen, there's something you have to know about me. There's no point keeping it secret anymore. I'm not human, not at all. My father is an elf, my mother was a fallen star in human shape. An hour ago I was told that my father is dying, there was a battle recently and he's been very badly injured. They think that he won't live more than a few days, even with magical help. I want him to live, not for me but for them. You see, my father is the ErlKing, king of the elves. I am his only child. He dies and I become ErlQueen. But before I become queen I have to be married and I have to survive tests. Every heir has to when they come of age."

"What kind of tests?" Gwen sat beside her.

"Painful ones. A series of challenges designed to test my strength, bravery, wisdom, judgement, passion and duty. Designed to see if the heir is worthy of the throne."

"What happens if you fail?"

"There'll be a civil war to determine the best new king. Political climate over there's unsteady enough, and they've already tried to kill me a few times."

"The village didn't turn on you." Merlin accused storming down the steps with Arthur in tow. "Did they?"

"No. It was a rival clan of elves. I'm sorry, I had to lie about it."

"You could have told me."

"And said what? I'm sorry Merlin, I'm not hiding from humans but from inter dimensional beings who want to kill me for my throne. Oh yes, you'd have taken that really well." Joanna lashed out sarcastically.

"What are you going to do?" Arthur asked gently.

"I knew the tests were coming, but I want to marry for love and I wasn't expecting to have to get married so soon. And before you suggest it, Merlin, no I cannot marry you. You are not destined to marry me. Your path lies elsewhere."

"Why didn't you tell me you were elven royalty?" Arthur asked.

"It didn't seem worth mentioning. I wasn't expecting my ascension to be so soon." Joanna slipped the golden ring onto her right middle finger and the silver one into a pocket.

"I have faith in you. We all do. I know that you will do what's right." Merlin said gently, noticing her movements and smiling a little.

"All this means I'm going to have to say goodbye to you, for now. I have to go sort out my kingdom." Joanna got up and walked out into the courtyard. Her wings emerged as she walked.

She stopped and raised an arm. Incanting ethereal words she opened a golden portal. She turned and smiled at her friends. "I'll keep you posted."

"Good luck." Merlin called.

She laughed briefly before stepping backwards into the portal and vanishing, the portal disappearing after her.

"Think she'll be able to sort it out?" Gwen asked.

"She will. I know she will." Merlin smiled.


End file.
